Neural tube defects, maternal cohorts and age:a pointer to etiology.

Bound, John P. and Francis, Brian and Harvey, Peter W. (1991) Neural tube defects, maternal cohorts and age:a pointer to etiology. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 66 (10). 1223–1226. ISSN 0003-9888

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Abstract

The effects of maternal year of birth and age on the declining prevalence of neural tube defects after 1972-3 were examined using 403 cases ascertained in a prospective study in the Fylde of Lancashire during 1957-89. Matched case-control data were analysed using conditional logistic regression analysis. The risk of an anencephalic baby was significantly greater for older mothers, but changes in the maternal age distribution in the population did not appear to be relevant to the recent decline in prevalence. Antenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy was the major cause. Mothers born before 1950 were at significantly greater risk of producing a baby with spina bifida or cranium bifidum. We suggest that abandonment of mercury as a therapeutic agent for infants in the early 1950s is a possible factor in the current decline of these malformations.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Archives of Disease in Childhood
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2729
Subjects:
?? PEDIATRICS, PERINATOLOGY, AND CHILD HEALTHOBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY ??
ID Code:
50257
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
05 Oct 2011 08:01
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
18 Sep 2023 00:27